Falling for the Silver Fox
by pandaneki
Summary: Copy Ninja Kakashi of Konoha is a man so well known yet so full of mysteries. People know of his past, and the tragic deaths of the ones he held dear. But what will happen when his apparent former love interest returns to the village? Will he suppress his feelings as a shinobi? Or will love arise?


It's been years... She took in the sight of the village she grew up in, first time in 8 years and it looked so different. It seems that things had drastically changed due to the Akatsuki.

She clenched her fists as she marched through the main gate. Audible gasps caught her attention as she looked to the side to see familiar faces once again.

"Izumo... Kotetsu?"

The inseparable duo stared at her like they had seen a ghost, which may as well have been the case. What did she expect? No word from her for years and here she is, back in Konoha.

She waved at the two, walking towards them as she scanned the main gate once again. The village didn't seem too busy.

Izumo and Kotetsu couldn't keep their eyes off of her. This is what the prodigious kunoichi of **that** certain legendary clan looks like after 8 years of vanishing?

Their actions caused her to roll what was her one visible eye as she wasn't sure if she felt good with the amount of staring she received from the two.

The light-haired kunoichi cleared her throat to break the creeping silence. "You can stop staring so much now."

The duo merely blinked, Izumo itched to run around the village and preach about her reappearance, knowing a lot of people will be relieved and certain people may even weep.

She sighed as she dismissed the two with a wave, proceeding further into the village to look for certain people she was curious to see again. How much has everyone grown ever since?

No longer than five minutes since her last encounter with comrades she hasn't seen for awhile, another duo, specifically the ones she had been in the same team with, stared in shock as they recognized her. "Y-you're-"

Aoba roughly nudged Genma as he froze on the spot, staring at her in shock but blushing ever so slightly, embarassed that he was staring but he couldn't quite help it.

"Been awhile." She stared back at them with her infamous expression, one that was simply hard to read. She rarely smiled, but when she did, rumor has it that it can be breathtaking.

She eyed the street, wondering if all the staring will be her welcome for the entire day.

Her former partners were flustered, not expecting to see her after all that's happened and all this time that she was absent.

She was beginning to grow impatient, back to hell with her temper. She clenched her fist and punched the wall beside her.

Cracks split everywhere as the facility threatened to fall but she knew better than to go perform annihilation and especially just when she's come back.

"Wh-what are you doing here? What a nice surprise..." Genma swallowed hard as he tried to regain his composure. The way he behaved embarassed him, but he remembered why he was always so flustered around her.

She timidly scratched her head, giving a lazy shrug before grabbing their wrists and heading for the Hokage's office.

"I just thought it'd be nice to come back. I'm done with exploring, I suppose."

She looked up at the stone faces of the Hokage and noticed her senior's face as the latest addition. The corners of her lips curled slightly as she continued to drag the two with her.

* * *

Standing in front of the office, she gently knocked, hearing a familar voice permit her entrance.

"Senpai. Been awhile, hasn't it?"

The blonde-haired woman looked up from her work. Her eyes widened at the sight of the trio in front of her. Shizune and Tonton were surprised as well, refusing to believe that the figure in front of them was real.

"Y-you're alive after all..."

The awkward atmosphere was broken as a certain silver-haired man walked in. "Lady Tsuna-"

Kakashi looked at everyone, recognizing Genma, Aoba, and everyone else except for the figure in the middle, that everyone seemed to be staring at. He looked at her cloak, a little suspicious. It looked exactly like the Akatsuki's, but colored cream with a single blue cloud on the back rather than the usual dark robe.

He stepped up to look at who it was and his eyes widened in shock just as everyone else's. "W-wait... Takane...?"

* * *

As Takane started to feel the heat, she realized the cloak wasn't worth it and folded it neatly, hanging it over her shoulder. She had her normal attire, quite fitting for such a great kunoichi.

She wore what seemed to be a black robe but with sleeves ripped off, she had a bandaged chest, black glove on her right, bandages on her left shoulder and right arm, pants that reached right below her knees and bandaged shins. Tsunade looked at her figure from top to bottom and smirked.

"The last time I saw you, your attire was of a samurai's... just what have you been doing?" the blonde nudged her assistant as Shizune noticed her Katana as well. Kakashi, Genma and Aoba stood awkwardly at the side, looking at the Hokage and their former long-lost comrade unsure if this was all just a dream.

Takane sighed and wrapped her suspicious Akatsuki-looking cloak around her waist, handing a scroll over to Tsunade.

The Hokage proceeded to read the contents of the scroll, with an expression of pure shock and relief as she quickly read through the scroll. She got up and slammed her fists on the table, looking at her would-be rogue ninja who is now confirmed to be their ally all along.

She had left the village for 8 years, no word from her. And just as they were about to name her a Rogue, thinking that she was plotting against the Leaf, Tsunade was thankful that she had provided them useful information about the Akatsuki.

The scroll contained it all, descriptions of the members, what they were before they joined the organization, what personal plans they may have had, all coming from a kunoichi of their village who set out with intentions only for the good of their land.

Shizune and the three other Jōnin were startled at Tsunade's behavior, wondering if Takane had done something wrong.

Takane knew from the looks on their faces that they were expecting an explanation. She turned around and pulled down her robe, mid-back to reveal writing on her skin that seemed to be in code.

Tsunade reached over and ran her finger across the writing, wondering what it could mean and how it would be related to Akatsuki. The light-haired kunoichi pulled back her top and carefully put her bangs out of her face to expose a Rinnegan which was her left eye.

The atmosphere of the office became heavier as she explained with actions, not a single word or noise has escaped her mouth since she handed the suspicious scroll over to Tsunade.

Tsunade waved at Shizune and the three Jōnin as she opened the scroll. "It seems that, Takane has some valuable information of the Akatsuki for us."

Takane cleared her throat to back up the explanation, looking at everyone in the office. "I do not know if this will become acceptable for you but I became a student of three of the Akatsuki members. When I first left the village and at a young age, Itachi of the Hidden Leaf took care of me and I ended up in Akatsuki's headquarters and... settled there for awhile."

The Hokage and everyone else focused their attention on her upon finding out that she was involved with the Akatsuki in some way. _Explains the cloak_ , Kakashi thought.

"I was briefly taught by Itachi Uchiha and later on became a student of Kisame Hoshigaki of the Hidden Mist."

She held up the cloak that looked like the Akatsuki's and revealed pockets inside that contained small black receivers, scrolls, and a couple weapons. "I had worn this cloak as to oppose their organization, though not quite obvious. The blue cloud is the opposite of their crimson clouds that symbolized blood."

Kakashi looked at the cloak and over at Takane in relief. Should she be a member of the Akatsuki would be unacceptable, knowing all that they have done.

"The masked man behind the organization took interest in my Rinnegan as he did with the ones that Nagato had, and I had to distance myself from him. I am hoping that not one of them know of my current whereabouts."

Tsunade wasn't all too confident that the Akatsuki has no trace of her, considering they're excellent and deadly shinobi and they were well aware that Takane was a kunoichi of Konoha. And an excellent one at that. The blonde looked at the scroll once again. Based on previous intel, she can atleast see that most of the contents are factual.

"I thank you so much for this information. But... why have you come back? Is there such a reason, after all this time? We had all assumed you'd... died somewhere."

She recalled what she had travelled places for. Worked as a spy for herself, disguised as a shinobi of different Great Nations, a samurai, a regular villager...

"I had to be silent due to travelling alongside Kisame and Itachi and the fact that they were members of the Akatsuki. I've learned all about my clan. Including what kind of person my clan members are. My great grandfathers, grandfathers... and the descendants of our clan."

Her slender fingers traced along her left eyelid again. "And somehow... I've awoken a Rinnegan."

Kakashi and the others stared in awe, the Rinnegan that was a mere myth before, seems to be in the possession on what could only be the most outstanding shinobi in the world. And now a kunoichi of the Hidden Leaf possesses such power.

Takane's eyes darted to the corner of the room as she caught a glimpse of red. She clenched her fists, grabbing a kunai and jumping out one window with such haste. Her eyes swiftly caught onto the suspicious figure, chasing after the tall man.

Konoha's silver-haired shinobi wasted no time in chasing her. She was so quick that he had to use the Sharingan just to keep up with her. Not long after, she stopped, just right by the main gate. "Takane! What's wrong?"

She sighed, putting the kunai back in the cloak. "I thought I saw someone... but, nevermind."

He curiously observed her. He still couldn't believe that she was alive and here right before him. Her Lavender hair was much longer than what he could remember, and her attire reminded him of old-fashioned ninjas, what with the Katana and the bandages that might as well have covered her entire body.

Realizing what he'd been thinking, he immediately shook off the thought, his mask pefectly concealing his warm cheeks that held a red hue.

"Have I done something to disturb you from your pornographic novels, Hatake?"

His single visible eye blinked rapidly, the blush on his face continued to spread, all through his ears. He quickly pulled out Icha Icha Tactics, acting nonchalant and walking ahead of her. Kakashi never knew why he was so strange around her. He was an expert at keeping his composure, Cold-blooded Kakashi couldn't possibly be flustered by anyone's presence. But admittedly, his legs felt like jello whenever her expression would change, such as a simple smile, or a mischievous smirk.

Her gentle facial features were always graced with mystery that everyone questioned. He still didn't even know what clan she really belonged to... but he had a feeling he'd be able to find out soon enough. He ran his fingers through his silver locks, putting the book in his back pocket and keeping up with her pace. "What's happened in the 8 years that you vanished?"

The light-haired kunoichi's eyes wandered aimlessly as she tucked her hands in her pocket. "I was a ghostly figure who had no identity, if it weren't for Lord Third... and I almost ended up working for a horrible organization because I didn't want to lose my master and my senior student." She paused as a dango shop caught her attention.

Earlier at the office, she was sure she had seen a sharingan user from the corner of her eye, listening to their conversation. The red glint itself reminded her of her senior; Itachi. And the dango shop reminded her of his love for dangos. But what had really caught her attention was a familiar figure in the shop.

She quietly peeked into the shop to see a certain dark-haired, presumably Chunin, male that she spent her childhood with. "Hn. Nara."

Shikamaru looked up from a book that sit neatly on the table, observing where the voice had come from. Takane walked into the shop along with Kakashi, waving as she sat in front of him.

He closed the book, shocked as he leaned closer, observing her as to make sure that she was the real deal. "So Takane Sarutobi returns huh?"

She rolled her eyes at the given name. Takane knew that wasn't her real name, though it fit her much better than the real one.

"So Kagemane no jutsu. How goes it?"

Shikamaru rolled his eyes at the teasing tone of her voice, and they wandered to Kakashi. The silver-haired man was staring straight at his good friend, while she payed attentioned to him, waiting for a response. "The village has been great, thank you for coming back. Since I don't see a celebration, I assume the majority of the villagers haven't recognized you yet?"

Kakashi cleared his throat to explain in her place. "She looked very suspicious when she entered the village earlier and so the villagers are kind of avoiding her. Or so it seems."

The dark-haired man nodded as he finished his last set of dumplings. But just as he was going for the last bite, a loud raspy voice calling for Kakashi caught them by surprise, which caused the poor man to choke.

Takane passed the cup of tea to him, while turning her head just enough to see the relatively tall figure that was panting, still calling for Kakashi. The blonde male held Kakashi's shoulders, trying to explain a message from the Hokage but couldn't quiet muster due to being out of breath.

But surprisingly, his energy suddenly rushed back to him as he noticed the woman that sat beside his sensei, one that he was sure he'd seen on a mission before. "Eh? Kakashi-sensei, who's this lady?"

The Lavender-haired kunoichi's eyes widened at the sight of Naruto, recognizing him from a mission that took place in the Land of Iron. "Loud brat? You know Silver?"

"EEHHH?! _P-PRETTY SAMURAI LADY_?!" Naruto jumped back while covering his mouth, cowering in fear as he remembered the horrifying sight of the samurai that could have just as easily killed him before.

But once again, to interrupt their current reunion, a brunet walked in the dango shop, calling for Naruto. Takane immediately grew flustered upon realizing who it was. "Y-you're.."

"Eh? Takane-senpai? Long time no see!"


End file.
